The Rule A player is batting out of order when they fail to bat in proper sequence as listed on the official lineup card. To understand the Batting Out of Order rule it is important to know these terms: • Proper batter is the player who should have batted. • Improper batter is the player who batted out of
Changing the Count
The plate umpire may correct a wrong ball/strike count as long as the batter has not completed her turn at bat. There are other situations for which the count may or may not be changed. The NCAA 2022 and 2023 Softball Case Book has rulings for some of these. Batter is still up Play: The batter has a 3-1
Slap-Hitters – Think Outside The Box
Softball has a unique “play” that is not part of the baseball world – slap hitters. With first base only 60 feet away from home plate in softball compared to 90 in baseball, the left-handed slap hit is a major offensive tool used in softball. The slap hit has placed great scrutiny on the batter’s feet in relationship to the
Batter Hit by Pitch
A batter is awarded first base when a pitch, neither swung at nor called a strike, is entirely within the batter’s box and it contacts the batter or her clothing. No attempt to avoid the pitch is required. It does not matter if the ball hits the ground before hitting the batter; it is still ruled a hit-by-pitch. A batter
Batter Actions
On-deck Batter The college rule, unlike other codes, does not require a player to be occupying the on-deck circle. If it is occupied, it is restricted to the next batter only in the circle nearest her dugout. Warmup swings may be taken with not more than two bats: • One or two official softball bats or • One approved warmup
Interference by On-Deck batter, Batter and Retired batter
Note: The batter-runner interference article is in the Runners/Batter-Runner section of this Rules Corner. Also read these articles for more batter regulations – Batter/Bat Hitting the Ball a Second Time and Batted ball hits batter. On-Deck Batter Interference An on-deck batter can be the interference perpetrator in a number of ways. The on-deck circles are much like the coaches’ boxes
Infield Fly and Intentional Drop Rules
The infield fly rule is not often invoked during a game. The intentional drop call is even more rare. There are many considerations for both of these, and they can become controversial when they are called. Infield Fly The infield fly rule is in effect only when there are fewer than two outs with either runners on 1b and 2b,
The College Strike Zone
Make sure you read the companion article – Mechanics Corner/Plate/Pitches/Strike Zone Mechanics Still the same and still a Focus Item The college softball strike zone has not changed for a long time; it is still the zone explicitly described in rule 11.3.1 and in the diagrams on pages 110 and 111 in the NCAA rule book. For the last few
Do You Protect the Batter or Catcher?
From Referee.com, March 9, 2018 A few situations come up over the years that may leave you wondering whom to protect — batter or catcher? Is it catcher obstruction? Or batter interference? Or a collision? Having a firm grasp on whom to protect will allow you to make the calls and explain to questioning coaches. Protecting the catcher A left-handed
Batter/Bat Hitting the Ball a Second Time
The batter swings at the pitch and while the bat is still in the batter’s hands, the batted ball bounces back into the bat. Or…the batted ball rolls on the ground near the plate area and the discarded bat contacts the batted ball. These are not unusual plays during a typical game and the plate umpire must be ready to
Batted ball hits batter
Here is a play that happens once in a while and sometimes causes a discussion among umpires – a batted ball contacts the batter who is not completely out of the batter’s box. Specifically: the batter bunts or swings at a pitch; the batted ball hits the dirt or plate; then the ball bounces up and contacts the batter before
Check Swings
A rule change, effective with the 2020-2021 rule book, was made with regard to “if the defense requests help on a check swing, the plate umpire is required by rule to ask for help. If anyone else, on either offense or defense, asks for help, the umpire may (but is not required) to ask for help.” Check swings can be
Illegally Batted Balls – Rules and Mechanics
The Rule A major rule change, effective with the 2018-2019 rule book, was made with regard to the batter’s legal position in the batter’s box when she makes contact with the pitch: at the moment of bat-ball contact, the batter may not contact the pitch when any part of her foot is touching the ground outside the lines of the